BMW Motorsport setting up to switch to the Z4 GT3 in ALMS for the 2013 Season - Believes ALMS M3 is maxed out

BMW has done an absolutely spectacular job in ALMS the past two years with the M3 winning the GT class two years in a row. So why not continue? The problem lies in the M3 exiting production shortly as the F30 3 Series is already here. Not to mention new technical regulations curbing the M3's dominance. BMW is considering the possibility of homologating the Z4 GT3 for ALMS duty. This raises another problem as the Z4 does not currently have a variant with a V8. It also does not have an M variant.

Speed reports BMW is in talks to race a GT3 based Z4 on the Z4. BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt stated the M3 is pretty much maxed as it is:

Jens Marquardt: "This year it has been very much down to the team and the drivers extracting 100, and sometimes [more than] 100 percent, out of what was there, Whatever resources we'd put into the M3, there is not that much left in that car. I think this is really what we have to be honest with ourselves about. Looking at the potential the Z4 has, I think it's a logical evolution that could be the solution for us. We just have to make it work."

The Z4 GT3 uses a 4.4 liter version of the S65 V8 in the E9X M3. A potential hold up is using this motor without a Z4 model being sold that features it.

Simple solution BMW. You want to switch to the Z4? Produce an M variant with a 4.4 liter S65 V8.